There are a variety of different electrical units adapted for use in an automobile. These units are designed to receive power for their operation from the battery of the automobile by being plugged into the cigarette lighter plug of the automobile. One of these electrical units found in wide use currently is a radar warning receiver.
Typically, a radar warning receiver is mounted to the rear view mirror or upon the dash of the automobile and left plugged into the cigarette lighter plug. In most automobiles, the electrical power of the battery, for instance twelve volts, is applied constantly to the cigarette lighter plug whether the automobile engine is running or turned off. Therefore, the automobile operator must remember to manually turn off the radar warning receiver whenever turning off the automobile engine. Otherwise, the radar warning receiver, or any other electrical unit for that matter being plugged into the cigarette lighter plug, will stay turned on causing the automobile battery to run down and eventually lose its charge.
Consequently, a need exists for an alternative approach to turning off an electrical unit, such as a radar warning receiver, plugged into an automobile cigarette lighter. Preferably, the new approach should be one which works automatically and does not rely on the operator remembering to manually turn off the unit.